Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Develop a good rapport with your cooperating teacher. Show up on time- don't show up randomly without warning- and pay attention (as closely as possible!) to their management techniques. I recommend not getting involved in too many outside of student teaching activities for the spring that aren't necessary, it will run you into the ground as teaching gets going!
Invest in a teacher's planning calendar and LOTS of folders, obtain your school's textbook, and start looking for as much information as you can about your unit that you are teaching.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would say- perhaps being able to construct a viable unit plan. I found that my own unit plan, though interesting, turned out to not be incredibly useful. I had planned activities that I learned now, are practically impossible to conduct in the amount of time that I was given. I also did not really know what "inquiry based learning" was until I reached this class, and was somewhat confused upon what it meant for awhile. Further instruction upon inquiry-based lesson planning and implementation would be greatly appreciated; how exactly can you implement this? What is a good motivator for inquiry-based lessons when your students are adverse to inquiry of any kind, ie: "just give me the answer already, I don't want to try to figure it out!?"
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had planned out my time in a wiser way. I learned that, if you don't set aside time for your planning and stick to it, planning starts to eat away at the other parts of your life. (the parts that would be better left alone) Perhaps make an hour or two after school sacred to lesson planning- do nothing else but plan and don't let yourself do anything but! This will give you a chance to keep your life sane, helping you balance outside activities/hobbies/friends. If I had done this earlier, I feel as if I would have gotten much more done in a better way, since these outside-of-school activities keep you from burning out.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
- Do not forget that there is more to life than student teaching, the world does not stop for your lesson planning- so plan ahead always- just in case!
- Have an "extra" emergency lesson plan for those days that are thrown off by field trips, fire drills, or some other reason. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a wonderful example, read it and discuss the implications of man on his environment!
- That seminar class thing that you're involved in? Its important. It helps. It helps you realize that you are not alone in your plight, and gives you an opportunity to ask questions that you do not know how to answer. It is a grade; and don't forget that!
- The way you dress does matter. Always dress nicely ironed and combed!
- Have compassion! No matter how bad, there is something good in every student that you will have. Open your eyes to see outside of the norm, their "good" just might not be the kind that you are used to seeing, look for it; the good is there.
- Never ever hesitate to ask questions of your CT. They seem appreciate that you ask- its like a compliment and shows that you care about your teaching!
- Make friends with the other teachers in your department. This could give you a chance at a substitute teaching job in the spring.
- Remember that "reflections" section in your lesson plans of the past? Reflect on your lessons! Did they bomb? Did they do okay, but take three days rather two? Think about it!
- ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a lesson plan for your advisor. Always. If you are afraid you are going to forget your plans somewhere or lose them, write a stickynote and staple it to your forehead the night before as a reminder OR just make extra copies and email it to yourself.
---- (- sleep + coffee) teaching all day = (short lived + ineffective + shallow) lessons
- This semester will fly by faster than any other semester in your waking memory.
- You can do it!!!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Develop a good rapport with your cooperating teacher. Show up on time- don't show up randomly without warning- and pay attention (as closely as possible!) to their management techniques. I recommend not getting involved in too many outside of student teaching activities for the spring that aren't necessary, it will run you into the ground as teaching gets going!
Invest in a teacher's planning calendar and LOTS of folders, obtain your school's textbook, and start looking for as much information as you can about your unit that you are teaching.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would say- perhaps being able to construct a viable unit plan. I found that my own unit plan, though interesting, turned out to not be incredibly useful. I had planned activities that I learned now, are practically impossible to conduct in the amount of time that I was given. I also did not really know what "inquiry based learning" was until I reached this class, and was somewhat confused upon what it meant for awhile. Further instruction upon inquiry-based lesson planning and implementation would be greatly appreciated; how exactly can you implement this? What is a good motivator for inquiry-based lessons when your students are adverse to inquiry of any kind, ie: "just give me the answer already, I don't want to try to figure it out!?"
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had planned out my time in a wiser way. I learned that, if you don't set aside time for your planning and stick to it, planning starts to eat away at the other parts of your life. (the parts that would be better left alone) Perhaps make an hour or two after school sacred to lesson planning- do nothing else but plan and don't let yourself do anything but! This will give you a chance to keep your life sane, helping you balance outside activities/hobbies/friends. If I had done this earlier, I feel as if I would have gotten much more done in a better way, since these outside-of-school activities keep you from burning out.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
- Do not forget that there is more to life than student teaching, the world does not stop for your lesson planning- so plan ahead always- just in case!
- Have an "extra" emergency lesson plan for those days that are thrown off by field trips, fire drills, or some other reason. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a wonderful example, read it and discuss the implications of man on his environment!
- That seminar class thing that you're involved in? Its important. It helps. It helps you realize that you are not alone in your plight, and gives you an opportunity to ask questions that you do not know how to answer. It is a grade; and don't forget that!
- The way you dress does matter. Always dress nicely ironed and combed!
- Have compassion! No matter how bad, there is something good in every student that you will have. Open your eyes to see outside of the norm, their "good" just might not be the kind that you are used to seeing, look for it; the good is there.
- Never ever hesitate to ask questions of your CT. They seem appreciate that you ask- its like a compliment and shows that you care about your teaching!
- Make friends with the other teachers in your department. This could give you a chance at a substitute teaching job in the spring.
- Remember that "reflections" section in your lesson plans of the past? Reflect on your lessons! Did they bomb? Did they do okay, but take three days rather two? Think about it!
- ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a lesson plan for your advisor. Always. If you are afraid you are going to forget your plans somewhere or lose them, write a stickynote and staple it to your forehead the night before as a reminder OR just make extra copies and email it to yourself.
---- (- sleep + coffee) teaching all day = (short lived + ineffective + shallow) lessons
- This semester will fly by faster than any other semester in your waking memory.
- You can do it!!!